Aerosol spray dispensers



Filed Jan. 5, 1962 1a 16 if; 24 20 12 I a 1 0. Y ,5

2 min! z 9 lllllllllll lll lll If JEE- v INVENTOR.

JUSEPH R. PENEUE A T TURNER" United States Patent Orifice 3,143,250 Patented Aug. 4., 1964 3,143,250 AEROSOL SPRAY DESPENSERS Joseph R. Pengue, Stratford, Conn, assignor to Clark Metal Products Incorporated, Fairfield, Comm, a corporation of Connecticut Filed Jan. 5, 1962, Ser. N 164,569 3 Claims. (Cl. 222--182) The present invention relates to aerosol spray dispensers, particularly toiletry and cosmetic dispensers of the type comprising a glass container encased in a protective sheath of vinyl plastic material and having a valve unit permanently secured upon the reduced neck end of the container. The plastic covering presents a relatively soft surface and the manufacturing procedures in this type of manufacture are such that substantially large dimensional tolerances obtained, particularly with respect to the dimensional relationship between the valve unit and contiguous shoulder formation of the plastic covered glass container. It has been the practice to provide such containers with a decorative overlay to enclose the sides of the valve unit and to provide a receptor for a removable cap to cover the actuator head of the valve unit, and because of the large dimensional toler ances obtaining in such structures the overlay would very often fail to properly fit the valve unit and the container.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an overlay which will adjustably engage about the side wall of the valve unit with an effectual frictional resistance against looseness and displacement, and will by virtue of the yielding nature of the plastic covering of the container firmly engage about the contiguous shoulder portion of the container with a wedging fit, the adjustability of the overlay upon the valve unit allowing a uniformly tight fit upon the contiguous shoulder portion of the container despite large dimensional variations.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein a satisfactory embodiment of the invention is shown. However, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to the details disclosed but includes all such variations and modifications as fall within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of an aerosol dispenser according to the invention, the removable closure cap for the actuating head being shown partially in vertical section;

FIG. 2 is a View partially in vertical section and partially in side elevation of the dispenser as seen in FIG. 1 with the overlay and cap removed;

FIG. 3 is a side elevation of the removable closure p;

FIG. 4 is a bottom plan view thereof;

FIG. 5 is a side elevation of the overlay according to the invention;

FIG. 6 is a top plan view thereof;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary View on an enlarged scale partially in side elevation and partially in vertical section showing the overlay in place upon the dispenser;

FIG. 8 is a side elevation of a modified form of the invention, the removable closure cap for the actuating head being shown partially in vertical section;

FIG. 9 is a side elevation of the dispenser as seen in FIG. 8 with the overlay, the closure cap, and the base cap removed;

FIG. 10 is a side elevation of the overlay according to the invention as seen in FIG. 8;

FIG. 11 is a top plan view thereof;

FIG. 12 is a side elevation of the base cap as seen in FIG. 8;

FIG. 13 is a top plan view thereof; and

FIG. 14 is a fragmentary view on an enlarged scale partially in side elevation and partially in vertical section showing the overlay in place upon the dispenser as seen in FIG. 8.

Referring to the drawings and more particularly to FIGS. 1-7 the aerosol dispenser according to the exemplary embodiment of the invention illustrated therein comprises a glass container 10, enclosed in a protective sheath 11 of yieldable elastic vinyl plastic material, and having a reduced neck portion 12 at its upper end, upon which there is secured a valve unit 13 having a cylindrical outer wall 14 crimped at its lower marginal edge portion 15' about the neck portion below a projecting annular head 16 formed at the upper end of the neck portion. The valve unit may be of any suitable Well-known type provided it has the cylindrical outer Wall 14:, a valve unit of the type illustrated being shown for example in the patents to Venus, Jr. for Spray Nozzles, No. 2,767,023 dated October 16, 1956. Such a valve unit has an actuator head 17 at its upper side which through lateral pressure applied thereto opens the valve to emit a spray of the liquid contained in the dispenser under the pressure of a pressure medium, for example Freon gas.

In accordance with the invention the continer includes a rounded annular shoulder 18 spaced directly below the cylindrical wall 14 of the valve unit, and which presents a downwardly divergent surface for cooperation with the overlay element of the invention, as will presently more fully appear. It is pointed out that in manufactures of this type relatively large dimensional tolerances obtain, so that there may be variations in the vertical dimensional relationship between the cylindrical wall 14 and the shoulder 18, as well as in the diameters of the wall 14 and the shoulder.

The overlay element 19 in accordance with the invention is preferably formed of very thin relatively stiff resilient material as for instance rolled brass having a thickness dimension for example of approximately .010, and comprises a cylindrical sleeve portion 2t) having an inside diameter slightly greater than the approximate outside diameter of the cylindrical wall portion 14 of the valve unit and provided at equally spaced points, preferably three points, with vertically extending inwardly directed ribs 21 having a predetermined projection calculated as being slightly within the aproximate outside circumference of the wall 14. The upper edge of the sleeve 26 is slightly rolled inwardly as at 22 to provide a smooth lead surface for engagement of the closure cap as will presently more fully appear, the inside dimension of this rolled edge being slightly larger than the approximate outside diameter of the wall 14. An annular shoulder 23 is provided at the lower end of the sleeve 20, and an anular flared skirt portion 24 extends downwardly from the shoulder and is preferably stepped as at 25, the stepped formation in addition to presenting a pleasing ornamental appearance functionin to stiffen the skirt portion.

The angle of the flare of the skirt portion is calculated V 3 as being slightly less than the downward divergence of the surface of the plastic covering of the shoulder portion 18 of the container, and the diameter of its lower edge is such as to engage this divergent surface of the shoulder portion with a wedging fit in the engaged relation of the overlay element as seen in FIG. 7. In such engaged relation the ribs 21 have relatively tight frictional engagement with the cylindrical wall 14 of the valve unit by virtue of the fact that the circumferential portions of the sleeve between the ribs 21 will have a slight resilient yield, so that even though there may be slight dimensional variations in the outside diameter of the wall 14 the ribs 21 will engage it with a relatively tight frictional slide fit. The overlay has vertically adjustable sliding engagement with the wall 14 to the point where the lower edge of the skirt portion 24 wedges against the downwardly divergent surface of the shoulder portion 18, the wedging action being preferably carried to the point where the edge of the skirt will slightly indent the yieldable elastic plastic sheath 11, thus creating an interlock between the skirt portion and the plastic sheath as a result of the compressive displacement of the plastic material and its tendency through elastic memory to resume its original form. As a result of dimensional variations that may occur between the point of contact of the skirt portion with the plastic sheath and the lower edge of the wall 14, the sleeve portion 20 will have a final position about the wall 14 which will vary in a vertical direction in correspondence with such dimensional variations, this accommodation being made possible through the vertical adjustability of the sleeve portion upon the wall 14.

The closure cap 26 is also preferably made of relatively stiff resilient material, as for example thin rolled brass having a thickness of approximately .010", and its circumferential Wall in its separated position as seen in FIGS. 3 and 4 has a slight out-of-round three-sided shape as seen in FIG. 4, so that in its engaged position as seen in FIG. 1 with its edge seated upon the annular shoulder 23 it will engage about the sleeve portion 20 of the overlay element with yielding pressure.

In the modification FIGS. 814 the glass container 10a is of generally cylindrical form, and like the form of the invention shown in FIGS. 1-7 a rounded downwardly divergent shoulder 18 is provided in spaced relation directly below the cylindrical wall 14 of the valve unit 13. The overlay element 19a is substantially similar to the overlay element 19 of the first embodiment except that the annular skirt portion 24a, instead of being downwardly fiared from the annular shoulder 23, extends vertically downward and preferably comprises a circumferential series of scallop formations 27. These formations in addition to their ornamental appearance function to stiffen the skirt portion. The engagement of the overlay with the dispenser is substantially the same as in the first embodiment, the lower edge of the skirt portion 24a having wedging engagement with the plastic sheath 11 at the downwardly divergent shoulder portion 18 of the container, this wedging engagement taking place between the central points of the convex inner edges of the scallop formations 27 and the plastic sheath.

A base cap 28 having a scalloped side wall 29 substantially identical with the skirt portion 24a of the overlay element is engaged upon the lower end of the container with a tight frictional fit made possible by the yielding elasticity of the plastic sheath 11. This base ,cap provides a hard surfaced flat base for the dispenser and in cooperation with the skirt portion 24a provides protection against breakage in the event that the dispenser is dropped upon its side, the projecting surfaces of the skirt portion 24a of the overlay element and the side wall 29 of the base cap protecting the intervening surface of the container against impact with the surface upon which the dispenser is dropped.

The closure cap 26 is substantially identical to the closure cap 26 of the first embodiment in form as well as in its cooperative engagement with the overlay element.

What is claimed is:

1. In an aerosol dispenser, a container having a reduced neck portion at its upper end, an outwardly extending upwardly facing annular shoulder adjacently below said neck portion, a valve unit secured upon said neck portion including a cylindrical vertical wall disposed in spaced relation above said annular shoulder, an overlay element comprising a cylindrical vertical sleeve portion having a circular upper edge disposed in a plane normal to its vertical axis and defining an open upper end in which said cylindrical wall is received, said sleeve portion having an inside diameter slightly greater than the outside diameter of said cylindrical wall and having a plurality of circumferentially spaced vertical ribs integral therewith and projecting inwardly from its inner surface a predetermined distance which in the detached relation of said overlay element will project slightly within the approximate outside circumference of said cylindrical wall, said ribs being frictionally engaged along vertical contact lines with said cylindrical wall under pressure resulting from outward displacement of said ribs and inward flexing of the circumferential portions of said sleeve portion between said ribs, whereby said overlay element is frictionally retained upon said valve unit under yielding pressure in any position of vertical adjustment thereon, an annular shoulder portion extending outwardly from the lower end of said sleeve portion in upwardly spaced relation to said annular shoulder of said container, and an annular skirt portion extending downwardly from said shoulder portion of said overlay element and engaged at its lower edge with said annular shoulder of said container to limit and determine the position of vertical adjustment of said overlay element, and a removable closure cap having a circumferential wall frictionally engaged for vertical sliding movement with the outer surface of said sleeve portion and having an annular lower edge for abutting said annular shoulder portion of said overlay element to limit its engaged position upon said sleeve portion.

2. The invention as defined in claim 1, further characterized in that the upper marginal edge portion of said sleeve portion is curved inwardly to provide a convergent lead surface for engagement of said closure cap and has an inside diameter greater than the outside diameter of said cylindrical wall.

3. In an aerosol dispenser, a glass container having a reduced neck portion at its upper end, a downwardly divergent upwardly facing annular shoulder adjacently below said neck portion, a valve unit secured upon said neck portion including a cylindrical wall disposed in spaced relation above said annular shoulder, a yieldable elastic plastic sheath encasing at least said annular shoulder of said glass container, an overlay element comprising a cylindrical sleeve portion having an inside diameter slightly greater than the outside diameter of said cylindrical wall and having a plurality of circumferentially spaced vertical ribs projected inwardly from its inner surface a predetermined distance which in the detached relation of said overlay element will project slightly within the approximate outside circumference of said cylindrical wall, said'ribs being frictionally engaged along vertical contact lines with said cylindrical wall under pressure resulting from outward displacement of said ribs and inward flexing of the circumferential portions of said sleeve portion between said ribs whereby said overlay element is frictionally retained upon said valve unit in any position of vertical adjustment thereon, an annular shoulder portion extending outwardly from the lower end of said sleeve portion, and an annular skirt portion extending downwardly from said shoulder portion and having Wedging engagement at its lower edge with the annular portion of said sheath encasing said divergent annular shoulder of said container to limit and determine the position of vertical adjustment of said overlay element, and a closure cap having a circumferential wall engaged with the outer surface of said sleeve portion with its lower edge abutting said annular shoulder portion of said overlay element.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Softer Apr. 22, 1958 Glover et a1 Dec. 15, 1959 Stein Kamp Dec. 19, 1961 Sagarin June 19, 1962 Finkenzeller Nov. 26, 1963 

1. IN AN AEROSOL DISPENSER, A CONTAINER HAVING A REDUCED NECK PORTION AT ITS UPPER END, AN OUTWARDLY EXTENDING UPWARDLY FACING ANNULAR SHOULDER ADJACENTLY BELOW SAID NECK PORTION, A VALVE UNIT SECURED UPON SAID NECK PORTION INCLUDING A CYLINDRICAL VERTICAL WALL DISPOSED IN SPACED RELATION ABOVE SAID ANNULAR SHOULDER, AN OVERLAY ELEMENT COMPRISING A CYLINDRICAL VERTICAL SLEEVE PORTION HAVING A CIRCULAR UPPER EDGE DISPOSED IN A PLANE NORMAL TO ITS VERTICAL AXIS AND DEFINING AN OPEN UPPER END IN WHICH SAID CYLINDRICAL WALL IS RECEIVED, SAID SLEEVE PORTION HAVING AN INSIDE DIAMETER SLIGHTLY GREATER THAN THE OUTSIDE DIAMETER OF SAID CYLINDRICAL WALL AND HAVING A PLURALITY OF CIRCUMFERENTIALLY SPACED VERTICAL RIBS INTEGRAL THEREWITH AND PROJECTING INWARDLY FROM ITS INNER SURFACE A PREDETERMINED DISTANCE WHICH IN THE DETACHED RELATION OF SAID OVERLAY ELEMENT WILL PROJECT SLIGHTLY WITHIN THE APPROXIMATE OUTSIDE CIRCUMFERENCE OF SAID CYLINDRICAL WALL, SAID RIBS BEING FRICTIONALLY ENGAGED ALONG VERTICAL CONTACT LINES WITH SAID CYLINDRICAL WALL UNDER PRESSURE RESULTING FROM OUTWARD DISPLACEMENT OF SAID RIBS AND INWARD FLEXING OF THE CIRCUMFERENTIAL PORTIONS OF SAID SLEEVE PORTION BETWEEN SAID RIBS, WHEREBY SAID OVERLAY ELEMENT IS FRICTIONALLY RETAINED UPON SAID VALVE UNIT UNDER YIELDING PRESSURE IN ANY POSITION OF VERTICAL ADJUSTMENT THEREON, AN ANNULAR SHOULDER PORTION EXTENDING OUTWARDLY FROM THE LOWER END OF SAID SLEEVE PORTION IN UPWARDLY SPACED RELATION TO SAID ANNULAR SHOULDER OF SAID CONTAINER, AND AN ANNULAR SKIRT PORTION EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY FROM SAID SHOULDER PORTION OF SAID OVERLAY ELEMENT AND ENGAGED AT ITS LOWER EDGE WITH SAID ANNULAR SHOULDER OF SAID CONTAINER TO LIMIT AND DETERMINE THE POSITION OF VERTICAL ADJUSTMENT OF SAID OVERLAY ELEMENT, AND A REMOVABLE CLOSURE CAP HAVING A CIRCUMFERENTIAL WALL FRICTIONALLY ENGAGED FOR VERTICAL SLIDING MOVEMENT WITH THE OUTER SURFACE OF SAID SLEEVE PORTION AND HAVING AN ANNULAR LOWER EDGE FOR ABUTTING SAID ANNULAR SHOULDER PORTION OF SAID OVERLAY ELEMENT TO LIMIT ITS ENGAGED POSITION UPON SAID SLEEVE PORTION. 